5 DIY Skin Care Hacks You Can Make with Kitchen Essentials

Skin care can be expensive, and when you run out, it might not always be convenient to drop by the store to stock up. And as we found when we had a go at DIY hair dye, home kits and remedies can often do the job just as well as spa and salon services. Here are five alternatives to skin care products that can be made with items you probably already have in your fridge or pantry:

1. Moisturize your skin with olive or coconut oil.

Keep your skin soft and supple by applying a small amount of olive or coconut oil onto slightly damp, freshly showered skin at night to lock in your skin’s natural moisture and keep it from getting dry.

2. Whiten your knees and elbows with citrus fruits.

Elbows and knees too often become darker than the rest of your skin, and if you want an all-natural way of whitening these, take half a lemon, orange, or lime and rub your elbow with this for about 10 minutes a day, leave on for 20 to 30 minutes, then wash off with plain water. This tactic helps lighten the tone of your skin in these areas as the pulp serves as a gentle exfoliant and the juices work as a skin bleaching agent.

3. Cleanse with a homemade coffee scrub.

If you grind your own beans (or grab bags of coffee grounds sometimes available at local coffee shops like Starbucks), you can easily make a scrub right in your kitchen. All you need is two parts coffee grounds, two parts coconut or olive oil, and one part brown sugar. Mix these and store in a jar in your bathroom. After washing, massage the scrub onto wet skin, then rinse with warm water.

4. Exfoliate with a brown sugar lip scrub.

Add enough honey or olive oil to about a tablespoon of sugar to make the mix pasty. If you want something that smells a little nicer, you can add a drop of vanilla or peppermint extract. This can be used once or twice a week. Just scrub it on your lips to exfoliate, leave on for a minute or two, then wipe or rinse it off. Moisturize with lip balm afterward.